Her Walls Came Crashing Down
by Clato 27
Summary: For her whole life Clove had been an outcast because of her scarring childhood and the walls she built to prevent anything or anyone else from hurting her. That's until she moves to a new town and a certain blond haired boy breaks down her walls. Modern day AU. Rated T for fighting (mma/ mixed martial arts) and swearing. Clato, a bit of Marvel/Foxface/Thresh, maybe Peeta/Gale
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

"C'mon, Cato. Four years of mixed martial arts and you still can't throw a punch!" Marvel said, wincing slightly as Cato punched and kicked the punching bag.

"I can punch harder than you can, Marv" Cato laughed at his best friends expression. He sent a few more blows to the bag, smiling as Marvel had trouble holding it in place.

"Get in the ring and we'll see who's stronger, huh?" Marvel said, pushing the bag out if his way only to have it swing back at him and hit him.

"We're in different weight classes" Cato chuckled. Cato was 6'2 and muscular with sandy blond hair and icy-blue. Marvel was also 6'2 but weighed a good 20 pounds less than Cato and wasn't as muscular. Marvel had brown hair and the same color eyes.

"So, Brutus isn't here" Marvel said referring to the almost empty gym. Brutus was their trainer and had been since they were 13. They were two of his few trainees and by far the most dedicated. Marvel got down on his knees and stuck out his bottom lip. "Please, please, please, please" he begged.

"Fine!" Cato sighed and Marvel cheered.

"You guys are really going to spar?" Thresh asked from where he sat on the bench, icing his ankle. He was a friend of the two boys, knowing them since he was 13 and they joined the gym. He went to a different school, but the three boys still felt like they were brothers. After all, Brutus' motto was "When you join the gym, you join the family."

"Hell yeah!" Marvel yelled, sliding threw the ropes and into the ring with Cato following him before they heard the ding of the little bell above the door ding. Cato spun around and his eyes landed on a girl. She looked to be about 16, but she was small for her size. Her wavy, raven colored hair, which was pulled into a high ponytail, along with her freckles stood out against her pale skin. Cato couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful girl in front of him.

Brutus walked out if his air-conditioned office and into the hot gym. "Are you Clove?" He asked and the girl nodded once and Brutus smiled. The three boys exchanged looks. Brutus never smiled and a girl had never even set foot in the gym with the exception of Thresh's little sister, Rue. "Hello I'm Brutus" he said shaking her hand and went on, "Your father told me you're quite the fighter."

"He's not my dad" Clove said coldly.

"Ok" Brutus said and addressed the confused boys. "Guys, this is Clove. She'll be training here so welcome her to the family."

"But Brutus! She's a girl!" Marvel said, his voice high and childish.

"I've noticed Marvel" Brutus said. "What are you two doing in the ring?"

Marvel quickly answered, "Cato wanted to spar. It was all his idea."

"Cato, you know you can't spar without my supervision and you can't spar Marvel" Brutus said and Cato groaned, knowing he was in trouble.

"What's my punishment?" He asked and Brutus looked around. Cato was the strongest member of the gym and would breeze threw any of his usual punishments. His eye landed on Clove, now in only spandex shorts and a sports bra, strapping her gloves on.

"You can spar Clove," he said, surprising everyone in the room.

"Brutus she just got here" Thresh said and Clove scowled. She wasn't the girl who needed protecting, having had to take care of herself and her sister since Frank was always working.

"I'll fight him," she said, stretching her arms and legs quickly. Brutus smirked as she climbed into the ring. From the moment she walked in he saw her potential. What better way to evaluate her than putting her up against his best student?

"Brutus, I don't want to fight her," Cato said as Clove took Marvel's position across from him.

"C'mon, pretty boy, scared you'll get beat by a girl" Clove challenged, her face still emotionless but her steel gray eyes looked different, almost angry.

"Don't break any bones and you'll be fine" Brutus said, taking his place as referee. Cato and Clove took their positions and Brutus started the match. They first just circled each other, their arms up, both waiting for the other to make the first move.

Cato lunged first, sending a punch towards Clove head but she sidestepped quickly out of the way. She got a gab into Cato's stomach but he barely felt it. She went again, sending a punch to his face at the same time as a kick to his side. He blocked the punch and winced as Clove's foot made contact with his ribs. Cato went in for another punch and Clove tried to slide out of the way, but his fist made contact with her arm. She stiffened as he hit her arm and Cato took the opportunity, sending a kick to her head. Clove ducked right before Cato's foot could make contact with her head and swiped his legs from under him. Cato fell to the ground and Clove was on top of him before he could react, sending punches into his stomach and face until Brutus called the match.

Clove stood up, offering Cato her hand and pulling him up once he took it. "Good match" Clove said, her expression the same as the one before the match started, but Cato noticed her eyes weren't angry, just indifferent.

"You too" Cato nodded and followed Clove as she ducked under the ropes.

"Dude, you were beaten by a girl!" Marvel laughed and Thresh smiled.

"Who knew that would be how big, brutal Cato lost a fight" Thresh teased, but Cato ignored both of them. He watched the mysterious girl punch the crap out of a punching bag. Cato only knew her for a few minuets and he already knew he was falling for her and he's not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Cato watched Clove punch and punch the punching bag. He wasn't sure what to think about the small burnet. She never smiled, talked or even showed the least bit of emotion on her face, but something was drawing him to her. He didn't know if it was her breathtaking beauty or the fact that she could knock him out with one punch. Maybe it was both. He was surprised he even noticed her, not having actually stared at a girl since his heart was broken over a year before.

He approached her, asking her if she wanted him to hold her punching bag. He felt an odd wave of happiness when she nodded once. Cato took his place behind it, holding it still so it was easier to hit. "Where did you learn how to fight?" Cato asked. That was the question that had been present in the back of his mind since she beat him.

"Hawaii" she said, sending one last kick into the bag. "It started out as just self defense, but I got good so I started to compete."

"That's a pretty big change. Hawaii to San Francisco" Cato said and he was right. The dim, cold beeches of San Francisco were nothing compared to the warm, sunny beeches of Hawaii.

Clove shrugged, "Here's better than moving to Kansas or some state without an ocean." Clove walked away from the bag, grabbing her water bottle off the bench and taking a huge sip.

"I guess" Cato sighed, sitting on the bench next to her. "Why did you move here?"

"There's better medical shit and doctors here for my sister," she said, not realizing what she said until the words escaped her mouth. Cato could tell she wasn't happy about moving and he was right. It wasn't her fault per say, but considering the events that caused her sister to need the medical attention in the first place it lead back to Clove.

"Why does your sister need medical treatment?" he asked and Clove stayed silent. He could tell she cared about her sister. He guessed she was younger and sick. He didn't know how far off he was. "What's her name?" he asked, trying to keep up conversation. He wanted- no, needed to find out more about this girl.

Clove looked at him, studying his face. He looked trustworthy and she guessed he didn't care that much. He just wanted to have a conversation or become her friend, but she wasn't sure if she even wanted friends. "Annie" she said and Cato gave her a small smile. He wasn't expecting her to answer, due to her hesitation.

"My middle name is Annie," he grinned.

Clove tried not to but a smile spread across her face, "It is not."

Cato shrugged, his grin still present on his face and said, "You're right, but I got you to smile."

Clove smiled again, bigger this time. Maybe she did want friends, but even if she didn't she would have some. "You're the first person to get me to smile in a long time," she said and she was upset to say it was the truth.

Cato grinned again. He could feel her opening up and her shyness (if that's what it was) disappearing. Her small smile disappeared when Thresh walked up to them. "What cha talkin' about?" Thresh asked and Cato shot him a glare. Ever since Marvel and Thresh found out he had a crush on Clove (which was a big deal for Cato) they hadn't stop teasing him about it. He was

"Nothing" Cato said. "Just a friendly conversation. So, Clove, where are you going to school?" Cato asked.

"Panem High" Clove said and Marvel cheered wrapping his arms around Clove and lifting her up in the air. Clove hated being touched by strangers and Marvel was as strange as one could get in her world. "Put me down!" she screeched and Marvel put her down, skipping around her and the two other boys.

"You're going to the same school as me and Cato! You can meet all our friends!" he yelled. He kept going on and on about everything they would be able to do.

"You mean Gale?" Cato asked, smiling at his best friend.

"You only have one other friend?" Clove asked. She was surprised with how much she was talking today since the only person she ever really talked to was Annie. She didn't even have one friend back in Hawaii. Friendship never really mattered to her, but now that she was talking to the three teens she realized she missed human company, sane human company anyway.

"Marvel tends to scare people away" Thresh said and Clove could see how his energy could scare people away. She would have been scared of Marvel if she hadn't seen him when he was calm. He took mixed martial arts very seriously and training was one of the only times he was remotely serious.

"We used to be popular but they kinda developed and Marvel didn't. Marvel is way funer than them so I stuck with him," Cato said. "Best friends since birth." Cato said and Marvel high fived him. It was their handshake, only because they were too lazy to make a real one up and often forgot it.

"Who's this Gale person?" Clove asked. She was a bit scared she would have to eat lunch with two Marvels. Her naturally being quiet wouldn't mix well with two hyper weirdoes jumping around and Cato egging them on. "Is he like this one?" She asked pointing at Marvel who was going on and on about all the fun they were going to have.

Both Cato and Thresh laughed, "No, he's not like Marvel at all" Thresh laughed.

"He's gay" Cato added. "He's in love with a boy with a girlfriend. It's hart breaking." Cato and Thresh placed a hand on their heart, whipping away a pretend tear off their left cheek. It was no doubt they had rehearsed it a hundred times as they were completely in sync.

"Hey, you lot!" Brutus yelled. "Get back to training! We have a tournament in a week and if no one wins anything you're all walking home!" Brutus threatened and they all went back to practicing.

* * *

Clove pulled her hood farther over her head, trying to keep herself warm for the five more blocks to her house. She kept forgetting she wasn't in Hawaii anymore. It wasn't eighty degrees everyday here, but instead the fog made the temperature drop down to the sixties even in the summer. She wasn't aware there was a car following her until she heard Cato yelling her name.

She spun around abruptly as Cato's jeep pulled up against the curb next to her. "Hey, you need a ride?" he asked. Clove considered declining, as it was only a few blocks to her house, even if it was up hill, but the shiver that ran down her spine convinced her otherwise. She walked up to his car and threw open the jeep door, flopping down on the leather passenger seat. "Why is it so damn cold here in the summer?" she asked more to herself as she put her cold hands against the heater.

"I t has something to do with the ocean." Cato replied. "By the way where do you live?" he asked.

"74 Mokingjay Lane" Clove said and Cato smiled. "It's the light yellow town house with the white mockingjay painted on it."

"I live two blocks away, in the apartments on District Two Street" Cato said.

"Cool" she said. She wasn't purposefully trying to avoid conversation it just was a habit. He already knew too much about her and what he didn't know wasn't even the terrible things.

"You live with your parents?" Cato asked.

Clove shook her head, "Just my sister and my guardian." Why did he keep telling him these things? He knew more than anyone in Hawaii did and she knew him for less than three days.

"I live alone" he said, He could feel her discomfort confiding in him. She was good at hiding her emotions, but when it came she said something she wasn't supposed to she just beat herself up over it. He though if he told her a bit about himself she

"Why?" Clove asked. She had thought about getting emancipated from Frank and living alone, but she had Annie to take care of since Frank worked all the time.

"My parents got divorced when I was little and I'm just the kid that neither of them wants," he said pulling his car in front of the town house.

"Thanks for the ride" Clove said opening her door. Cato opened his own door and insisted.

"I'll walk you to the door."

"No!" Clove said loudly and rather forcefully. The tone of her voice suggested she had something to hide. "Sorry, my sister isn't good with strangers. She'll have a breakdown if she sees you any closer" she said before running into the house.

Cato watched her figure walk threw the front door. He also saw a pair of emerald eyes watching him from a second story window. He figured they were Annie's but they didn't look like the eyes of a little girl, or even a teenage girl. He got into his car and drove away before Clove could yell at him again. For the rest of the night all Cato could think about was the mysterious raven-haired girl with the hidden past.

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews and stuff. This is going to be different from my other stories (as some of you probably already noticed) and I was wondering if you wanted me to make like a tumblr? Some other writes have it and I thought I'd ask you guys. So just put a yes or no and I'll tell you if I make it or not. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: remember I'm not in high school so the classes might be a little weird and different from your school cuz schools are different and shit.**

Chapter 3:

Clove followed the other students into the large clearing where the whole school ate lunch. Her first day wasn't terrible, but she was annoyed at the fact that no one at the school- even the teachers- ignored her. She didn't have any classes with her friends since they were both in the grade above her. She was pushed into the cafeteria with all the other students. She nervously scanned the tables for Cato and Marvel. The had assured her that she could eat lunch with them and even though she hated to admit it, she was glad she didn't have to eat lunch with only a book for company.

She sighed in relief when she saw Marvel, jumping up onto one of the tables and waving at her. She made her way to the table and instantly was met with a bear hug from Marvel. "Thank God, you didn't make any friends" Marvel said as Clove pulled away from him.

"Marvel, you shouldn't be mean to this hottie," said an unfamiliar burnet, winking at Clove. He was huge, with broad shoulders and some muscle. He was around 6 feet tall with dark brown hair and soft, gray eyes. He had a pink scarf around his neck and how his voice was to high pitch for his pure size gave away the fact he was gay.

"That's Gale" Cato said. He wasn't sure why, but he felt a pang of jealousy when Gale was hitting on Clove.

"So this is Gale. That's a let down" Clove said, taking a seat next to Cato and pulling out her bag lunch.

"The one and only" Gale smirked. "And you're the famous Clover."

"Please to meet you" Clove said, shaking Gale's hand from across the table and Gale said the same.

"Great now that you are acquainted, Gale, give me the deetes!" Marvel squealed.

"Did you tell him?" Cato added.

"I couldn't tell him. He's so in love with Katniss" Gale sighed. Peeta and Gale's families had a yearly ritual of going camping for a few weeks. Gale, having been in love with Peeta for three years, had decided that this year would be the year he told Peeta.

"Who's Peeta?" Clove asked and Cato pointed to a blond a few tables away.

"Katniss is the burnet on his lap" Cato whispered. "Peeta is kind of Gale's crush and Katniss is his girlfriend."

Clove frowned, "That sucks."

"Yeah. He was supposed to tell him this summer, but he chickened out" Cato said and Gale scowled.

"You tell the girl you love you love her" Gale challenged and Cato's jaw set.

"I would if I liked someone," Cato said, his eyes flitting towards Clove quickly. Clove was surprised at the wave of happiness that hit her when Cato said he didn't like anyone, but it quickly went away when she realized anyone included her. She wasn't sure why she cared so much about Cato's love life. She hadn't had a crush on someone since she was in sixth grade, which was four years before.

"What about you, Clove?" Gale asked, raising his eyebrows and resting his chin on his hands. To Clove he looked like one of those girls that were constantly gossiping.

"I just got here. Who am I supposed to have a crush on? Marvel?" she asked, her voice was laced with sarcasm. She could tell he saw right threw her lie. She could tell he was going to be her "girlfriend."

"What's not to like?" Marvel asked, giving Clove a seductive smirk.

"What's up with you guys and hitting on me?" Clove asked, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It's what we do to pretty girls" Cato said, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Clove pushed is arm off her shoulders, rolling her eyes. She never believed herself to be pretty, especially with a gorgeous sister like Annie. She never had someone to call her beautiful and she never bothered to buy fancy clothes and make-up for school.

"Sure" Clove said sarcastically. Lunch went on, all the boys teasing each other, but Clove couldn't concentrate. The only thing she could think of was that Cato thought she was pretty.

* * *

Clove walked into her house late that night. She had done the small amount of homework she was assigned at the library and then went to the gym to train. She had then stayed late at the gym since Brutus made dinner, a Monday tradition, so it was after nine when Cato dropped her off at the end of her drive way.

Clove tried to be as quiet as possible as she threw her sweatshirt into the laundry and nuked a few pizza rolls- the only food Annie would voluntarily eat. "Clovie?" Annie asked. She stood in the shadows of the doorway leading to the kitchen. Her long hair was down (as always) and she was in her PJ's, clutching her teddy bear to her chest.

"You should be asleep, Annie" Clove said. Annie had a strict sleeping schedule from her doctor. Be in bed at eight and in bed until seven. Her doctor said it would help her brain and the damage that happened, along with ten different medications. Nothing worked though. She still had episodes and never acted her age. She was occasionally lucid, but rarely and only for a short time.

"I missed you today" she said quietly. She was acting like a five year old, not knowing she was almost 21. She was old enough to legally buy beer and she was standing in her kitchen in rainbow PJ's talking to her younger sister who she treated like her mother.

"I know, Annie, I missed you too. How was your day?" Clove asked her. Annie walked closer to her, her bunny slippers sliding across the floor, and walked into Clove's arms.

"Good" she told Clove excitedly. "Dr. Aurelius told me that if I get five more stickers I get a dolly."

"That's great, Annie" Clove said, giving her sister a fake smile. She could never be happy at home. It was way to depressing with Annie not knowing what's going on and Frank leaving her to take care of his daughter. Sure she fed them, clothed them, and paid for every thing Clove and Annie needed over their life time, but with all the hours he works she could only wonder where all the money he made is going. "We have to get you to bed if you want to get your stickers don't we?" asked Clove and Annie nodded.

Annie took her hand and dragged her up the stairs and into her room. Every object in her room was a different shade of pink, fitting five-year-old Annie's taste perfectly. Annie crawled into her bed. Clove sat next to Annie on her bed, stroking her dark red hair. "Will you sing me mommy's song?" asked Annie and Clove's breath caught in her throat. Clove had been only a few weeks old when their mother was taken away leading to Annie being in the condition she was in now. No one blamed her, but it was her fault that their mother was taken away. If she weren't born than her family wouldn't have been in that situation and things wouldn't have happened the way they did.

"Ok" she whispered. She had never heard the song from her mother- being the hated child she was- but Frank had taught it to her so she could sing it to Annie. That was the only time she could think of where Frank treated her like a daughter. She cleared her throat before she started to sing, "Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, close you sleepy eyes. And when again they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you."

Clove finished as Annie closed her eyes and her breathing even out, signaling she had fallen asleep. "Sweet dreams, Annie" Clove whispered and crept out of the room and into her own. She was living in her own hell and she hoped she could get pulled out of it.

**A/N: So I've decided to make the tumblr. The user name is clato27. I haven't posted anything yet (I can't really figure it out so if someone could help me that would be fabulous). Sorry that the last two chapters were kinds boring, but I'm trying to get background in and show Clove opening up. Sorry for all the mistakes, but I don't have a beta (Lexilinn33 PM me back please!) and I suck at spelling.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: ok, so someone said last chapter how it was cute that Annie was five, but she's actually 21 (as I said in the chapter) and older than Clove who is 16. That makes Cato, Marvel, Thresh and Gale 17.**

Chapter 4:

"Get your asses in that car in ten seconds or I swear to God I will leave you here!" Brutus yelled, throwing his trainees suitcases into the back of his truck. Marvel and Thresh piled into the front seat leaving Cato and Clove for in the back.

"Is he always this uptight about a fight?" Clove asked as Brutus pulled out of the gym's driveway.

"The farther we go, the more uptight he gets" Cato said. There was a minor's mma tournament in Las Vegas that weekend and the four of them were competing. It was an eight to nine hour drive and it'll be a long drive.

"Great" Clove said sarcastically before letting out a yawn and fighting to keep her eyes open.

"Someone's not a morning person," Cato laughed as they pulled onto the highway. They had to leave at six in the morning to get there in time to check into their hotel.

"Never was, never will. It also didn't help that Annie couldn't sleep last night and her goddamn doctor made a damn schedule and had to stay in her room all night to keep her in bed. But if he didn't prescribe thirty different types of pills she would have slept" Clove complained.

"Why do you have to take care of her? What about your mom and dad?" he asked and Clove completely froze.

Clove quickly regained her composure and answered, "Frank is Annie's dad and he had to work and our mom isn't around."

"Oh" Cato said. He noticed Clove freeze and new that her family was a sensitive subject. "Why don't you take a nap? I'll wake you up for bathroom stops and when we get food."

"Thanks" Clove said, giving Cato a small smile. He noticed he was the only person she actually smiled at. She rested her head on the crappy headrest and closed her eyes, falling asleep almost immediately. After a few turns Clove fell against Cato, her head resting on his shoulder. Cato could only grin, he never had a better car trip.

* * *

Cato jumped on the balls of his feet and throwing a few punches into the air, getting pumped for his fight. "Hadley" Clove called. She was standing on the bench, her arms on top of the octagon fence and her arm barely peeking over.

Cato took a few steps toward the fence while spiting out his mouth guard into his hand. "What's up, knock out" Cato asked. Clove had won her won all her fights with a knockout in the first minuet. It was sad really, that her competition was so bad, but she was so goddamn good.

Clove rolled her eyes; all the boys were calling that since her first fight with a knock out thirty seconds into the match. "I just wanted to with you good luck" Clove said. "Watch out for this guy's hooks. They come out of nowhere and their lethal. Swipe out his legs, he's hopeless on the ground" Clove added.

"Anything else?" asked Cato and Clove only smiled.

"I hope he doesn't beat your ass like I did" she smirked and jumped off the bench, taking her place beside Marvel in the crowd. Cato smiled to himself, placing his mouth guard back in his mouth and turning back towards his competitor.

He walked towards the ref and stared down his competitor until the ref said, "Touch gloves" they did and the ref blew his whistle, signaling the beginning of the match. Both competitors' gloves went up and they circled the octagon, waiting for the other to make the first move. Cato decided to strike first, sending a punch to his face and, as he expected, his opponent blocked it. Cato kept punching at his face and he sent an uppercut to Cato's head. Cato ducked, mentally thanking Clove for warning him. Cato went down and swiped his feet from under him. The second boy fell onto the ground and Cato pounced on top of him. He sent punch after punch at his face. Cato's opponent, a boy a bit shorter than Cato but with the same amount of muscle, was more concentrated on his looks than winning the fight so he protected his face. Cato easily kept him pinned down for the ten seconds to win the match.

Cato grinned, spitting out his mouth guard and raising his arms above his head in victory.

* * *

Cato wanted so badly to kiss her, as she lay on his bed, asleep. She had fallen asleep in his and Thresh's room while watching a movie with the two other boys. They were watching The Hunger Games, to be exact. She had been so excited to watch this movie, but the events of the day had caught up to her and she had fallen asleep before the games even started.

He had given up on watching the movie long ago and decided just to watch Clove sleep. She hypnotized him. The way she curled up slightly and bundled herself up in the blankets. He loved how her eyelids fluttered every one and in a while, almost as if she was going to wake up.

"You look like a creep, Cato" Thresh said. He was on his own bed, next to marvel that was fast asleep and snoring loudly. Marvel shared a room with Brutus (since Cato and Marvel in the same room would lead to the hotel being destroyed) and Clove had her own room.

"You would look the same if you had as big of a crush on her as I do" Cato whispered, making sure not to wake Clove, he was almost certain that if Clove woke up he would get punched for staring at her and again for letting her fall asleep during the movie she waited "forever" to see.

He tucked a piece of Clove's long, dark hair behind her ear as Thresh said, "I think you're right." That comment surprised Cato, as Thresh was the smartest out of the three boys and had never called Cato right about anything. "It sucks that you won't turn the crush into something more," he added and Cato looked up. His blue eyes met Thresh's brown ones and he could see the arrogance light up in them. Cato knew he was right and that he needed to ask Clove out.

"I better get Clove into her own room before Brutus comes in" Cato said mostly to avoid Thresh's silent gloating. He picked up Clove bridal style, making sure to grab her room key and walked out the door.

He was almost half way to Clove's room when Clove shifted in his arms, waking up. "Cato?" Clove asked.

"Hey, sleepy head" Cato teased, giving her a lopsided grin. Clove only gave him a look of confusion.

"Why are you carrying me?" she asked. She was a bit startled to find herself in Cato's arms, but more so at the fact that she felt so safe. She had never felt safer or at home in Cato's arms.

"You fell asleep while watching the movie. You looked so peaceful I couldn't wake you up" Cato said. Clove nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Cato grin widened, but it dwindled slightly when he walked up to Clove's door. He unlocked it and walked into the small room (the cheapest one in the whole hotel) and placed Clove on the bed. "Goodnight, Cato" Clove said as Cato stood there for longer than necessary.

"Night, Clove. See you in the morning" Cato said, placing her key card on the bedside table and walking out of the room.

He fell onto his bed, thinking about what happened in the hallway. What Clove had done had to mean something, right? He pondered it for minuets or hours, he wasn't sure. Eventually he fell asleep, thinking of only Clove.

**A/N: I decided to move the Clato up. I was going to make you wait ten chapters until their first date, but I have decided to only make you wait six or seven chapters. I ran out of stuff to put in between and I think we all get Clove has opened up to Cato a lot and they like each other.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: please don't hate me. You all have to wait for chapter ten (or nine if I run out of stuff to write) for the Clato to begin, as that was my original idea. It'll be filler chapters and luring a bit more about Cato. This chapter is dedicated to my beta, Alice-Cullen-4everr! Yeah, I have a beta. I hope you can tell the difference. **

Chapter 5:

Clove was pulled from unconsciousness by her sister's high-pitched screams. Clove threw the covers off her body and walked down the hall to her sister's bedroom. She opened the door and crossed the room, sitting on the edge of her bed. "You're okay, Annie. You're fine" Clove said, stroking her sister's hair. "Was it a nightmare?" she asked, stifling a yawn and rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Annie whimpered and nodded. Frank appeared at the doorway, but quickly vanished. _Figures_, Clove thought. _As soon as he sees me here he's right back to bed._ "Your doctor said you have to talk about it," she said.

Annie looked up at her. "Mommy was there," Annie said and Clove rolled her eyes. Annie often dreamed about her and Clove hated hearing about the mother who didn't want her. "And you were there, but you were a baby. You were a cute baby," Annie laughed.

Clove smiled. "Yes, we both know that. Now tell me about your dream."

"Well, I had you in my lap and mommy was standing over us. At first she was moving things and calling someone. We weren't at home; I didn't know where we were. Then all of a sudden she had a knife. She came towards us with it and… that's when I woke up" Annie said, a few tears streaming down her face. Clove sighed; it was terrible that Annie remembered that. At least she doesn't dream about the event that occurred a few hours before they were almost killed.

"It's okay, Annie. She can't hurt you" Clove reassured her. Other than a birthday card every year (to Annie, of course) their mother wasn't in their lives what so ever. "Just go to sleep, Annie" Clove said.

"Will you stay with me?" Annie whispered.

Clove sighed, but still slid under the covers. "Just until you fall asleep, okay?" Clove said, even though they both knew she was staying the night. Annie nodded and tucked her head under Clove's chin, resting her head on Clove's chest like a small child would do to her mother. After all, that's all what Clove was to her, a mother.

* * *

"Will you stop mentally undressing Peeta?" Clove snapped. Gale had dragged Clove to the mall to buy some "girly" clothes. Gale was tired of her only wearing skinny jeans and t-shirts so he insisted on taking her shopping. He had dragged her to The Mellark Bakery and Restaurant just because Peeta worked there.

"I-I wasn't" Gale stuttered and Clove only scowled at him. "Okay, maybe I was. You'd be doing the same."

"I don't stare at Cato- shit!" Clove said, burying her head in her menu.

"I knew it!" Gale squealed. Over the month they had known each other they had bonded. They were like the girl best friends of the group, even though Gale was a guy and Clove was a tomboy.

"You can't tell Cato!" she said and Peeta finally decided to walk over and take their order.

"Hey, Gale" Peeta smiled.

"Hey, Peeta" Gale said. "Oh, Clove, this is Peeta and Peeta, Clove" Gale introduced and the two shook hands.

"Pleased to meet you, Peeta" Clove said, shaking Peeta's hand.

"Pleasure's all mine" Peeta grinned. He was friendly and she could see why Gale liked him so much. "You guys know what you want?" he asked.

"I'll have the hamburger," Gale said.

"I'll have the same," Clove said. Peeta wrote their orders down, took their menus, and walked back towards the kitchen.

"Peeta's nice" Clove smiled, thinking Peeta's interruption was enough to get the topic off her humiliating crush on Cato.

"You can't change the subject! Tell me what is up with you and Cato!" Gale demanded.

"Nothing is going on. I might like him, but he obviously doesn't like me and I don't want to jeopardize our friendship by telling him" Clove sighed.

Gale smiled knowingly. "What of I told you Cato does like you" Gale said and Clove went into a pure panic. She had finally admitted to herself that she liked Cato. Him liking her back was a totally new idea. She felt like she was in third grade again, back when you either liked someone or like-liked someone. Only this time it was way more confusing.

"I can't let someone get that close to me" she whispered and Gale gave her a confused look. He knew about Annie's mental problem and had seen her (with and without Clove) at the hospital a few times while visiting his father.

"Why? Because of Annie? Cato won't care about her health problems or about how weird your family is. If he really likes you- and he does- he won't let any of that stuff put him off," Gale said. Clove looked down at her fork, biting her lip. She never had a boy interested in her and she was glad Cato liked her, but if she wasn't sure if she can afford for someone to get that close to her. "I won't tell Cato, but if he asks you out you have to say yes, pinky promise?" Gale asked, holding out his pinky finger.

Clove rolled her eyes but linked his pinky with hers. "You are such a four year old," she murmured.

"I have a four year old sister. Now say you pinky promise," Gale said.

Clove rolled her eyes again and parroted Gale, "I pinky promise."

"Fabulous!" Gale squealed. "Now we have to come up with a way to get Peeta to fall in love with me!" Clove and Gale laughed, but it was quickly silenced when Peeta came back with their burgers.

* * *

Cato tiredly walked into his apartment. He had barely got any sleep the night before, cramming for a test, but the test hadn't gone very well and Marvel had told him Clove liked him back. He was overjoyed about Clove liking him but now Marvel, Gale and Thresh will constantly be giving him crap about asking her out.

The frown lifted from Cato's face as his dog, Callie, came bounding in room the other room. She jumped onto him, licking his face before he pushed her off. "Where did all this energy come from? I already walked you today" Cato laughed as the two-year-old hound ran circles around him. He had gotten Callie when he first moved into his apartment a little less than two years ago. He had been so lonely his first few months and getting the dog had made him feel less alone.

"It's because I haven't fed you yet, huh?" Cato asked. He scooped her kibble in her bowl and placed it on the floor, filling her water bowl as well. "It's a surprise you're not overweight with how much you eat, Cal" Cato joked while Callie devoured her food.

He flipped through his mail, separating the bills from other letters. He always forwarded the bills to his mother. It was part of their agreement, he would stay out of her way and she would pay for his living conditions until he was 21 or could afford it. When Cato was four his parents got divorced and his mother gained full custody, just so Cato's father wouldn't have him.

He stopped when he saw the lavender envelope. He ripped it open and rolled his eyes. _Who gets married without telling her son?_ He asked himself. "What did you expect, Cato. She never really cared," he told himself. He always preferred living with his father. The two weeks he spent with his dad and his new wife in New York every summer were his favorite time of the year.

This was his mother's third wedding. She never stayed married for long and her new husbands were never fans of Cato, another reason to kick him out of her life. He looked at the invitation one more time, ticking the box that said 'plus one.' "Maybe I can bring Clove," he said. "I really hope she likes dogs. Callie, you would have to go if she doesn't like dogs" he joked and the dog looked up at him, her brown eyes wide.

"Just kidding, Cal" Cato said, petting the top of her head and walking into his bedroom, thinking of only Clove as he fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

"Happy birthday to you!" Cato, Marvel, Thresh, and Clove finished. It was Gale's eighteenth birthday party and it was only the five of them celebrating. Gale blew out the five candles (the only ones they could find) and the four cheered.

"What did you wish for?" Marvel asked, "I bet it was about Peeta!"

"Not this year." Gale said, shooting a knowing glance at Clove.

"So what do we do now?" Clove asked, trying to get the attention on the 'party' and get Gale off her back. "I've never actually been to a birthday party."

"What?" Cato exclaimed, looking up from his piece of cake (his favorite food, like, ever) and gawked at the girl. "How could you have never been to a birthday party?"

"I never had friends" Clove replied sheepishly.

"Non è possibile." (Not possible in Italian) Thresh said in his Italian accent. "Such a beautiful, strong, funny girl like you having no friends? What kind of crack have you been smoking?" Thresh asked and Clove could only laugh for an answer.

"Lets watch Orphan!" Marvel yelled. "Please, Gale, can we. Like OMG, please!" he yelled.

"Yes, Marvel, now shut up" Gale said and they made their way to the couch. Cato and Clove were next to each other- thanks to the plan Thresh and Gale concocted- with Gale and Thresh next to Cato while Marvel was on the floor. They got the movie off Netflix and by the time it loaded Marvel was jumping out of his seat.

Clove didn't pay much attention to the movie, but instead played a game on Thresh's iPhone. She didn't look up until Marvel exclaimed, "Holy shit, it's Clove!" She looked up and saw herself when she was about nine. They were almost identical-the same freckles, eyes, and hair.

"Damn, Clove, why didn't you tell us you were a movie star?" Thresh asked.

"That's not me," she said.

"So that's why no-one was friends with you! They were too scared of you!" Marvel gasped, his eyes wide and pure terror written on his features.

"I swear to God, I'm not Esther!" Clove yelled.

"Doesn't matter. I'll be scared shitless if you ever use a hammer or fire around me," Gale smirked.

Everyone laughed and silence fell over the group once again as they watched the movie. Cato's arm was draped over the back of the couch. He shifted slightly and his arm slid off the back of the couch and fell around Clove's shoulders. "Sorry" he whispered.

Clove gave him a small smile. "It's fine," she whispered back. Clove was glad when he didn't remove his arm; she leaned into him and noticed the creepy smiles on Gale and Thresh's faces. "What's up with them?" Clove whispered, nodding her head in the direction of Gale and Thresh.

Cato glanced towards the two boys. "Just being creepy" Cato said and Clove laughed silently.

* * *

"Why did you drive me?" Clove asked as Cato pulled his car up in front of her house. "You live on the same street as Gale, what's the point of driving me home when Marvel offered to drive and it's on his way home?" Gale lived on District Twelve Street, one away from Thresh in a different school district, until his freshman year. He then moved three houses down from Cato's building.

"I wanted to talk to you," he said.

"We did a lot of talking" Clove said sarcastically, reaching for the door.

Cato locked the doors and turned towards her. "I know," he said. Clove turned towards him and gave him a look that said, 'go on.' "I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me on Saturday" Cato said. He was nervous to say the least. He was going to ask Clove out eventually, but Marvel had given him the valuable information that Clove, indeed, liked him and had told him to make a move.

"Cato, I don't know" Clove said. She had no idea how to react. She really liked Cato and was glad the feeling was mutual, but he was already to close to her. She could already feel the walls she built up crumbling down and she was scared if she let him in they would come crashing down completely.

Cato rubbed the back of his neck. He could sense her discomfort and could tell what Marvel told him was true with one look into her steel gray eyes. "C'mon, Clove, one date" he pleaded. When her expression didn't change he went on, "If it goes horribly wrong or you don't have a good time than we can forget it ever happened, ok?"

Clove pondered his suggestion. It wouldn't be any harm, but something in the back of her mind kept telling her no. "Ok" Clove nodded, a bit unsurely. A huge grin spread across Cato's face and Clove couldn't help but mirror it back at him. There was just something about his smile that made you want to smile back.

"Awesome!" he exclaimed. "I'll pick you up at seven" he added and unlocked the door. Clove stepped out of the car, giving him a small wave as she walked down her driveway and into her house.


	7. Chapter 7

Cato pulled his car into Clove's driveway, he ran his hand through this hair and took a deep breath. He could only hope that this date would go well or Clove would slip through his fingers. He opened his door and intended on getting out but stopped when Clove stepped out of her house and walked over to his car.

He was caught off guard by her beauty. Her hair was down, her black curly locks reaching her waist, and she was wearing black skinny jeans with her favorite blue high tops and a navy blue Abercrombie and Finch sweatshirt. She had light make-up on (courtesy of Gale) and she looked more beautiful than usual. "C'mon, Clove, you couldn't let me be gentlemanly and meet you at the door?" Cato asked after getting over seeing Clove. His voice was sarcastic but he still meant what he said.

"Annie would freak out if you came knocking at our door" Clove said. It wasn't a complete lie, Annie wasn't a huge fan of strangers, but was more social than Clove ever could be. It was more Cato finding out about her broken family that scared her.

"Right." Cato said, recalling when he first gave Clove a ride home and she had told him the same thing. "Tell me, what sights have you seen? I don't want to take you anywhere you've already been." Cato said, pulling out of her driveway.

"I haven't seen anything yet." Clove said sheepishly. She had lived in the city by the bay almost three months and she hadn't seen anything but the San Francisco Airport.

Cato stopped the car with a jolt and looked at the girl next to him. "You have lived here how long and you haven't seen anything. Tell me you've seen the Golden Gate," he begged. Clove shook her head and he gasped. "That's like the best part of the city!" Cato whined.

"I've never seen it, stop making me feel bad." Clove said, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Sorry," Cato laughed. "But I now know what we're going to do today." Cato said.

"Tonight." Clove laughed.

"Who cares?" Cato laughed, pulling in front of his favorite restaurant.

"The Rain Forest Café, really, Cato?" Clove asked, eyeing the colorful sign of the restaurant. She had never been there, but she remembered back in elementary school when all the kids would say it was the best restaurant to go to. "This place is for kids," she stated and Cato rolled his eyes.

"Who cares?" Cato repeated, getting out of his car. Clove stayed put though, but Cato came around to her side of the car and opened her door. "Clove, it's my favorite restaurant like ever, pweeeese come" Cato begged, his voice sounding a lot like a four year olds.

"Fine" Clove sighed, stepping out of Cato's jeep and walking into the restaurant, Cato on her heels. They were seated right away, their table was right under the impressive fish tank and next to the mechanic gorilla. "I have to admit this is a nice place," Clove said after looking over the menu.

"Yeah, lot of memories here" Cato smiled and Clove looked over her menu at him.

"How so?" Clove asked, curiosity taking the better of her. It was ironic really, the girl with so many secrets is too curious for her own good.

"My eighth birthday, the one day dinner I was with my mom and dad and they didn't fight once," Cato said. His birthday was the one night both his parents would spend with him- they would spend with each other actually- but it was usually miserable. They would fight the whole time, but his eighth birthday dinner was different. Not one mean word was spoken and that was the last time he had seen both his parents together, not that he ever complained.

"Sounds memorable" Clove said. "Do you bring all first dates here?" she asked.

"No, just you" Cato smiled. Clove was different than the one actual girlfriend he had. He could tell Clove was enjoying their date, but Glimmer would have just complained that he didn't take her somewhere more expensive.

Clove grinned. "Yay, I'm special!" she exclaimed, a bit of sarcasm in her voice but she was flattered.

"You have no idea," he said and their server came to take their order. The rest of their dinner went by rather quickly, not talking about anything important. Soon enough they were out of the restaurant and walking threw the streets of San Francisco.

"Where are we going exactly?" Clove asked. The streets weren't crowded since almost everyone was at the Giants game.

"I was thinking a cable car ride, walking around Fisher Man's Warf and then waling across the Golden Gate" Cato said as he dragged Clove into the line for the cable cars.

"So, you're going to show me the whole city in one night?" Clove asked. They were lead onto the car. The bell dinged twice and they smoothly made their way down the hill and to the bay.

"Clove, you're not on an island anymore. You can't see everything in one day. Like you can be here one day and Los Angeles tomorrow" Cato said.

"You know Hawaii is less than five hour plane ride from California. I can be in Hawaii one day and Los Angeles the next" Clove said matter of factly. She giggled when Cato scrunched up his face in annoyance.

"I was making a point and you ruined it" Cato whined and Clove laughed again. "I bet you've never seen a seal. Like, an actual seal in the bay, all free and clapping its fins like a legit seal!"

Clove laughed and shook her head. "No, I have never seen a legit seal in the wild" she said, a grin spreading across her face.

"Don't got those in Hawaii" Cato smirked and the car stopped. He pulled Clove off and dragged her to the pier. "Where are they?" Cato yelled, gaining a few glances from the people passing them.

"Oh my God! Look! There's one! And I spotted it!" Clove yelled pointing at the brown head that emerged from the almost black water. It was dark and Clove wouldn't have seen seal if the bright lights from Fisherman's Warf weren't shinning on the dark blue water. "That is so cool!" she exclaimed.

"Told you" Cato bragged, intertwining Clove's fingers with his own. Clove looked at him, but didn't pull away like he expected her to. They walked around Fisherman's Warf for a while and then took a cab to the Golden Gate Bridge.

They walked across the bridge hand in hand, stopping in the middle of the red bridge. They could see Angle Island and Alcatraz prison as well as the twinkling lights on the mountains and few boats standing out against the dark water.

"It's beautiful." Clove whispered. The island wasn't beautiful at night, just dark since everyone lived on the coast. San Francisco was beautiful during the day and at night.

"Almost as beautiful as you." Cato said and Clove snorted.

"That is the cheesiest thing you have said all night!" she laughed.

"Sorry for being truthful." Cato said, watching Clove as she looked over the bay. Clove turned towards him, the corners of her pink lips turned up in a small smile and her gray eyes twinkling in the light. "Can I kiss you?" he asked. Usually he wouldn't ask, but he felt like he was walking on thin ice with her.

Clove's smile widened a bit and she whispered, "Yes." Cato placed his hand on her cheek and pulled her towards him, placing his lips on hers. It was pure magic. Butterflies took flight in his stomach, his brain became mush, and fireworks exploded. Clove wrapped her arms around Cato's neck and his arms looped around her waist. Cato pulled away and rested his forehead against hers, looking into her perfect gray eyes. "That was nice" Clove whispered, slightly breathless from the kiss.

"Yeah it was" Cato agreed and they just stared into each other's eyes. Cato's hands moved from around her waist and linked their hands together. "It's getting late, I should probably get you home" Cato said and Clove sighed.

They didn't talk much as they took a cab back to where Cato parked his car and the ride to Clove's house. The long silences weren't awkward, they were simply enjoying the others company. It felt like no time at all when Cato pulled up in front of Clove's house. "Good night, Cato" Clove said, her rare smile still present.

"Good night, Clove."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Clove was the first one to arrive at the gym on Sunday morning. She was delighted to have time to herself to think about the event the night before. Annie had managed to drag Clove into sleeping in her room the night before and she could never think straight when Annie was around.

She was dragged out of her thoughts by Cato sitting down on the curb next to her. "Hey" he said, grinning like a little boy.

"Hi" Clove said quietly, a small smile on her face.

"Why so awkward, Clover?" Cato asked even though he knew the answer. Clove was awkward to begin with and the fact they had shared a kiss the night before added to it.

"No reason" she said, a bit louder than before. "What's with the nickname?"

Cato's grin grew and he leaned back, using his hands for support. "I thought I should have a cute nickname for my girlfriend" he said truthfully.

A light blush turned Clove's normally pale cheeks into a rose color. "So that makes me..." She trailed off. She knew exactly what she was implying but he would be her first boyfriend, after all, and it wouldn't kill him to formally ask her.

Cato took one of her hands in his, trying to make it as cheesy and possible, and opened his mouth to ask her when Brutus seemed to appear out of nowhere. "Hi, guys?" Brutus said, his greeting more of a question since seeing the two teens holding hands.

"Hi, Brutus" Clove smiled apon seeing Cato's annoyed expression. "We should really get started since we have that huge fight this weekend."

"Yeah" Brutus agreed, opening the door to his gym and giving the two teens one more confused expression before heading in. Clove stood and followed him in, Cato on her heels, crushing himself for not asking her sooner.

* * *

"Excited to be going to the beach?" Cato asked Clove as they sat in the back of Brutus' truck. They were going to Santa Cruz, where some of the best beaches in Northern California were.

Clove shrugged. "I never really went to the beach when I was in Hawaii" Clove said truthfully.

Marvel gasped and spun around in the front seat. "You never went to the beach while in Hawaii?" He asked, flabbergasted.

"I was either at school, the gym, or watching Annie. I never had time or reason to go" she said.

"Maybe if you guys win we'll go" Brutus said and pulled into the parking lot of their motel. They unloaded their bags from the back of the pickup and checked into the hotel.

"Glad we're next door to each other" Cato smiled and Clove nodded.

"Yeah, you can easily sneak into my room and kill me in the middle of the night" Clove said in a joking manner and Cato chuckled.

"I don't think that'll happen" Cato said, leaning against the wall next to Clove's door. Thresh, Marvel and Brutus had already gone into their rooms, leaving the two teens alone for the first time in almost a week.

"Good, I've had my fair share of near death experiences" Clove said, her voice still joking but her eyes told Cato she was completely serious.

"I know what you mean" Cato chuckled as Clove ducked into her room

* * *

Thresh and Marvel watched Clove's match intently. They'd erect paying attention to the fighting, per say, or their little brunette friend, but were watching her opponent. She was as skinny as Clove but was a good three inches taller. Her hair was a firery red and her facial features resembled a fox. She was from their rival gym and Clove pined her down easily.

They didn't know her name and they both decided to call her Foxface. They were both attracted to her and both would stop at nothing to get her.

* * *

Cato quietly crept out of the room he was sharing with Marvel with no difficulty since his best friend was a sound sleeper. He unlocked Clove's door, using the extra key he had pocketed while in her room earlier, and tip-toed towards her bed.

Sadly, Clove wasn't anywhere near as sound a sleeper as Marvel was and woke up when she heard the blond fumbling through her room. She waited until he was next to her bed to pounce into his back and punched at him.

"Clove, Clove, it's just me!" Cato said, covering his head and trying to shake her off.

"What the hell, Cato?" She said, jumping off his back and sitting on her bed. "I thought you were a rapist or a murderer."

"Sorry" Cato whispered. "I wanted to surprise you."

Clove smiled and a blush spread across her cheeks. She was glad Cato couldn't see her. "Well, I don't know where your taking me" she said. Cato grabbed her hand and dragged her out of her room and into Brutus' truck. "You stole his keys" she gasped when Cato started the car and pulled it out of the parking lot.

"Not the first time I've done it" he grinned and drove the five minutes to the beach.

The beach was dark, until Cato light a bon-fire he had set up earlier that night. "So why did you bring me out here?" Clove asked, pulling her knees up to her chest for warmth.

The blond draped his arm around the shivering brunette and pulled her closer to him, Clove quickly warming up. "I wanted to ask you a question and I knew nothing can interrupt us here" he said.

"Except a tsunami" Clove said and giggled when she heard Cato's annoyed groan.

"You are a pain in the butt" he said, squeezing her shoulders.

"I thought you wanted to ask me a question or did you just lure me out here to be mean?" She asked.

Cato leaned his head on top of Clove's and intertwined their fingers. "I was going to ask you if you'd be my girlfriend?"

Clove smiled and said, "I'd love to."

Cato lifted his head and looked down into Clove's stunning grey eyes and found herself leaning in, capturing her lips with his own. Clove wrapped her arms around his neck and Cato's hands moved from her shoulders to her waist. The two could have stayed in that moment forever, but they had to pull apart to breathe.

"Thank God you said yes" Cato whispered, breathlessly, and pulled Clove onto his lap.

"Yeah, well, the heart wants what the heart wants" she said and Cato reconnected their lips.

**A/N: sorry this has taken me so long to update but its my last week of summer and I went a little crazy ._. (High school is scarring me!) Wish me good luck cuz I'm pretty sure I'm gonna die. Also, I have a theory about Alexbelle. What if Alex and Isabelle are secretly dating and Nicole is just to get all of us obssesd freaks somewhat off their backs. I know I'm a genious! Hope all y'all enjoyed the chapter! **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9:

Thresh cautiously walked up to the door that the beautiful red head had disappeared into a few minutes before. He had tracked down the fox-faced girl and followed her to her hotel. Yes, it did sound stalker-ish, but it was three in the morning. He would have gone sooner but Brutus wouldn't let them go out and Cato had gotten to the truck before he did and had to wait for the now happy couple to return.

He knocked once and the answered the door almost instantly. She quickly and soundlessly stepped out of her room and out into the hallway, clearly to not disturb her room mate.

Thresh opened his mouth to introduce himself but the girl cut him off before he could. "You're the boy from my fight aren't you?" Thresh sat there, dumbfounded for a second and the red head rolled her emerald eyes. "The one with Sevina" she elaborated, spitting the word out like acid. She had not taken the loss well, especially considering she was undefined before that days events.

"Yeah" Thresh said, nodding slowly as if he was having trouble comprehending her question.

She rolled her eyes again and asked, "What do you want?"

Thresh gulped, pulling on the collar of his hoodie. "I wanted to know your name and maybe get your number" he said sheepishly. The fox like girl cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes.

"Why?"

"When you were fighting Clove I couldn't take my eyes off you. You were just mesmerising and I had to at least know your name."

"And you thought to come to my hotel at 3 in the morning to tell me that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

Thresh gave out a long sigh. "Trust me when I say I entended to come way earlier. My trainer wouldn't let me out and then my friend took the truck before I could and I'm sorry."

"Since you apologised I suppose I could tell you my name" she said and Thresh's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "It's Finch, but everyone calls me Foxface."

"Pretty name. I'm Thresh."

"Well, Thresh, I suppose I'll see you at the next tournament."

"Absolutely" he said and she gave him a nod before disappearing into her room.

* * *

"C'mon, Clover, gi' me a kiss" Cato begged, sticking out his bottom lip, pouting.

"No, Cato" Clove said, shutting her gym locker and leaning her back against it, facing her boyfriend.

"Why not?" He whined. "I saw you in the halls, like, five times and sat next to you at lunch and you look so pretty today. Well, everyday but today especially. Not to mention seeing you half naked here at the gym" Cato added and Clove rolled her eyes.

"Well, you've seemed to keep it in your pants pretty well so I think you can live without a kiss" Clove said. She broke into uncontrollable giggles when Cato's mouth dropped open. "Keep that closed, baby, you'll catch flies" she joked, patting his cheek and trying to get by him.

Cato put a hand on her waist and kept her in place. "Did you really just say that?" He asked, still surprised. Clove nodded, giggling. "Ok, now I get a kiss" he said and pressed his lips to hers.

"Oh, ewwww. No PDA! Gross guys!" Thresh and Marvel yelled as they walked into the back room to see Cato and Clove kissing. They pulled away and Cato flipped the two boys off.

"Someone's angry" Thresh teased.

"Get out!" Cato yelled and the two boys ran out of the room.

"Where were we?" Clove asked, grabbing the back of Cato's neck and pulling his lips down to hers in a passionate kiss.

* * *

"What do you mean your dad doesn't know you're gay?" Clove asked rather loudly in the busy hospital hallway. Their conversation had started like any normal one had, Clove asking how his dad was doing and Gale asking the same about Annie but had somehow made its way to the topic of Gale's straightness.

"Shh!" Gale seethed, placing his hand over the smaller girl's mouth. "If he finds out he'll have a heart attack!" He added, looking around nervously, eyeing nurses, doctors and the family of patience as they walked by them.

Clove rolled her eyes and pulled Gale's hand off her mouth. "No he won't" she said. They were currently standing outside the door of Roger, Gale's father's, room. He was in the hospital because he had a sever heart condition and had to be kept under observation at all times. No one knew yet if he would be able to leave the hospital and return to his normal life yet, but for the time being he was to stay confined to his bed.

"So you're saying I should just walk in there and tell him I'm gay when just yesterday Posy tripped and his heart rate went through the roof?" Gale asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"You're a hypocrite."

"How am I a hypocrite?"

"Annie doesn't know you and Cato are dating and that's been going on for, like, three days" Gale retaliated and Clove's mouth clamped shut. Gale was the only person outside of her family that knew about Annie's condition and even he didn't know the whole story, or any of it really.

"That's different" Clove said, her arms crossing in front of her chest.

"How?"

"It just is."

"You're so full of shit" Gale said, narrowing his eyes at the small girl.

Clove sighed, knowing she was defeated. "Fine, you want me to tell her I will, but if she has an episode you can blame yourself." Gale smirked at her and followed her down to the psychological clinic where Annie spent most of her time.

As soon as they walked through the doors and into the clinic the copper headed girl captured Clove in a hug. "Clovie! I missed you so much!"

"I saw you ten minuets ago, Ann" Clove said, pulling away. "Say hi to Gale" she reminded her. Her manner, like her personality, were the ones of a five year old.

"No!" Annie defied stomping her foot and crossing her arms across her chest, sticking her tongue out at Gale. "I'm not going to talk to that meany!"

"That's ok" Gale said, a childish grin spreading across his face. "I'm just here because Clove wants to tell you something."

Annie's attention turned towards Clove, her sea-green eyes wide. "Annie, do you know what a boyfriend is?" Clove asked, hoping she did so she wouldn't have to explain it.

Annie nodded and then, as if realising something, she gasped and asked, "is Gale your boyfriend?"

Clove and Gale laughed. "No, no, Annie. Gale doesn't like girls, but I'll tell you about that some other time" Clove said. "My boyfriend is another boy named Cato."

"Oh, That's alright as long as you still love me!" Annie exclaimed, hugging Clove once again.

"Annie, It's hard not to love you" Clove said, hugging Annie and pulling away again. "Now, I have to go sign you out and then we'll go, ok?" Clove asked and Annie nodded.

Clove pulled Gale back to where they were standing less than twenty minutes before. "Ok, now you have to tell your dad."

"We never shook on it" Gale said, thinking he outsmarted Clove.

"Get your ass in there and tell your dad you're gay or I will beat your ass" Clove threatened and Gale raised his hands in defence.

"Ok, ok, I'm going" he said and walked inside of the room.

"Hi, Gale, I didn't know you were still here" Clove could hear Mr. Hawthorne say from the other side of the door.

"Yeah" she could hear Gale sigh. "I just needed to tell you something."

"What is it, son?"

Clove grabbed a glass off the nurse's table nearby, pressing it against the door. She knew Gale's reply was going to be almost silent and she needed to hear it. "Dad," Gale said, taking a shuddering breath. "I'm gay."

There was silence for a few minutes and Clove highly considered barging into the room to make sure both men were still alive, but then Mr. Hawthorne spoke. "I'm not going to lie, that was unexpected."

"So... You're ok with it?"

"I don't have much of a choice, son, but if you're sure..." Mr. Hawthorne trailed off.

"I've known for a long time. It took me a while to admit it to myself, but I'm sure" Gale said and that's where Clove left, not wanting to hear the details of their "manly" conversation.

She signed Annie out and Frank picked them up. Soon enough Clove was laying in her room, glad everything turned out ok.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10:

Cato patiently leaned against his car, waiting for Clove. She had given him strict instruction to not knock on her door and wait for her outside to avoid Annie having a panic attack.

A huge grin spread across his face as Clove emerged from her house and skipped up her slanted drive way and into his arms. "Hello" Cato said after Clove pulled away from their kiss.

"Hi" Clove smiled, getting in his car and making Cato walk around to the drivers side.

"So where are we going, Ms. I planned this date but I can't drive so my boyfriend has to drive me?" Cato asked.

"I sense you're hinting something" Clove joked. "We are going to have a picnic in Golden Gate Park and lucky for us the sun is out!"

Cato started the car and drove to Golden Gate park. It was a quick drive since the park was basically in the middle of the city. They laid out their blanket in the middle of the grass field and immediately dug into their sandwiches.

"I knew you didn't like peanut butter so I made you ham" Clove said excitedly, tossing him his sandwich and a juice box.

"You are so cute" he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his lap.

"Yeah, yeah. I know" Clove said, stuffing her face with her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Especially when you stuff your face" Cato added, kissing her temple.

"So I've been told, now eat your sandwich. Annie helped me make it" Clove said and Cato took a bite from his ham sandwich, a sip of apple juice following it.

"Very good. Very good indeed, but I do prefer my crust cut off" Cato critiqued, rubbing his chin thoughtfully while Clove laughed at his expression. He thought it would make him look smart, but Clove would contradict that statement. "Tell Chef Annie she is an excellent cook" he added, grinning.

Clove grinned as well. "I shall" she said, taking a huge bite from her sandwich.

"When do I get to meet Annie?" Cato asked and Clove choked on her sandwich.

"What?" She asked, her voice restrained a bit from the peanut butter still lodged in her throat.

"When do I get to meet Annie? And Frank, of coarse" Cato asked.

"Umm" Clove stalled. She didn't want Cato to leave her because of her dysfunctional family but she felt bad lying to him. She was to close to him to not feel remorse when she told him what she told everyone else she ever met. "Well, Annie isn't really comfortable with strangers and Frank is never around. So maybe you can meet them in a few weeks?" Clove said but it came out more of a question.

Cato shrugged. "Guess that's cool" Cato said, taking a bite of his sandwich. "So you wouldn't think it would be crazy if I asked you to be my date to my mom's wedding?"

"It would only be crazy if I said I wouldn't go with you" Clove smiled.

"So that means...?"

"I'll think about it."

"Yeah sure" Cato scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clove asked, the smile dropping off her face. Her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms across her chest.

"You wouldn't say no to me" Cato said, and Clove raised her eyebrows.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah."

"Well, than, no. I won't be your date to your mother's wedding."

Cato's mouth dropped open in pure shock. "What?" His voice was high and surprised.

"I said no" Clove repeated, smirking.

"You're kidding" Cato stated but his smile dropped off his face when Clove shook her head. "Please, please come. It'll be torture if you don't" Cato begged.

Clove sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, I'll go" she sighed. She was going to go no matter what but she enjoyed seeing Cato panic and beg.

"Thank you!" Cato grinned, wrapping his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. "You. Are. The. Best" he said in between kisses.

"I know" Clove smiled after Cato abandoned her lips and sucked on her neck. Clove sighed in content and leaned back against Cato's chest as he left at least one hickey on the pale skin of her neck. "Cato, stop" she said half heartedly but Cato did move back to her lips.

Clove turned around without breaking the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck while her legs straddled his waist and his young traced her bottom lip, asking for entrance. She squeaked in surprise when he shoved his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch. He pulled away suddenly, much to Clove's dismay, and said, "you taste like peanut butter."

Clove smiled and burying her head in the crook of his neck. "Is that a bad thing" she laughed into his neck.

"I really want to kiss you but peanut butter" he shuddered and Clove laughed again.

Clove pulled her head out of his neck and looked into his deep blue eyes. "Can't you just forget that you don't like peanut butter and kiss me?" She asked, her voice quiet and almost innocent.

"I think I can do that" he said and leaned in again, pressing his lips to hers.

* * *

"Cato, you can't. If Annie came in and saw you attacking my face she'd freak out. Who am I kidding she'd freak out even if you weren't attacking my face" Clove said into the phone receiver. She was talking to Cato (of course) and he was saying how easily he could sneak into her room.

"So, you wouldn't complain?" He asked and Clove laughed.

"No" she said, playing with the draw string of her pyjama bottoms. "But I know you can wait until tomorrow to kiss the crap the crap out of me" she said, using his wording.

"But we're driving to Napa tomorrow. I can't kiss you and drive. I've seen The Vow, Clover!" He yelled and Clove laughed.

"We are sharing a hotel room" Clove said in her best seductive tone. Of coarse there will be no funny business going on but she wouldn't complain about making-out.

"Holy crap" Cato said and Clove could practically picture the grin on his face.

Annie then crept her way into Clove's room, going directly to her closet and rummaging threw the contents. "Hold on a minute, Cato" she said and heard his grunt in protest before she pulled the phone from her ear. "What's up, Ann?" She asked.

"Just looking for clothes to wear. All mine look like they belong to, like, a five year old" she said, her voice sounding more like a thirteen year old than a five year olds.

"What?" Clove asked, down right confused about their conversation.

Annie turned around to face her sister, her hand on her hip and her eyes in mid roll. "I'm fourteen, Clove, but you still dress me like a five year old" she said.

Clove's grey eyes widened, "just yesterday you basically threw a fit over weather your shirt had a pony or a ducky on it this morning."

"Things change, Clove. You should know, you actually smile now" Annie said turning back to Clove's closet and pulling out a skirt and a bright pink tank top, both never worn. Most of Clove's wardrobe was never worn since Frank bought them for Annie or Clove and both of them were extremely picky about what they wore.

Annie held the two garments of clothing against her body. The tank top would possibly fit properly, but the skirt had at least been sitting in that closet for two years and was most likely bought for Clove. Annie and Clove might be sisters but they didn't look alike at all. Clove was small and skinny while Annie was tall and curvy. She would be beautiful if she didn't wear over sized teeshirts and hated to brush her dark brown hair.

"Perfect" she grinned.

"Does Dr. Aurelius know about your sudden... Mood change?" She asked.

"No, but he will tomorrow" she said, throwing the shirt and skirt to the side and grabbing a black jacket to complete the outfit. "Perfect. Goodnight, sis" she said and walked out if the room, closing the door behind her.

Clove placed the phone to her ear once again and asked, "Cato, you still there?"

"Yeah" came his reply.

"Do you have siblings?" She asked him.

"Yeah, but they're three and five and I've met them less than twice so I don't think I'm a help in the raising your sister department" he told her and Clove sighed. "But I thought Annie was five?"

"It's a long story that I'm not ready to tell you yet" she said truthfully.

She could hear Cato sigh from the other end and he said, "Ok, but when you're ready to tell me you better 'cause I'm so damn confused" he said.

"I promise" she said and yawned. "I'm gonna go. See you tomorrow, Cato."

"Ill be at your house at six tomorrow. Earlier if I miss you too much" he said. "Bye, babe."

"Bye" Clove said again and hung up. Falling back into the depth of her bed and closing her eyes. Excited for what the next day might bring.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11:

"Cato, I've gotta pee" Clove said, her legs bouncing and down in anticipation.

"You just peed" Cato replied, annoyed. Their hour and a half drive to his mother's wedding in Napa had turned into at least a three hour one since it was Labor Day weekend and the Bay bridge was out. He was glad they at least gotten an early start, they had taken off right after school instead of at six like they originally planned.

"Yeah, at school, like, four hours ago" she said. "You said we'd get food too and I'm not seeing any of that."

"Fine, next exit I'll get off and you can eat and pee to your hearts content" Cato said sarcastically.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?" Clove asked. Cato tightened his grip around the steering wheel, murmuring something about not being in a bad mood. "You're a terrible liar, Cato" Clove said.

Cato turned towards her, clearly upset. "How am I supposed to be, Clover? My mom is getting married to some guy I've never met and he probably won't know about me until the end of the reception and my mom introduces us."

"How do you know that's going to happen? For all we know she could be waiting for you to get there so she can introduce you to him" Clove said optimistically, taking one of Cato's hands in her own.

"The same thing has happened three times, babe. I'm not meeting the rich pig until they're about to go on their honeymoon" Cato said, looking back towards the slowly moving car in front of him.

"Your mom has ben married three times?"

"Five counting my dad" Cato said.

"Wow" was the only word that came to Clove's mind.

"Yeah and I'm pretty sure she killed one of her husbands" he joked, trying to lighten the mood. That's what he did when he felt uncomfortable he made a joke of it, but Clove didn't laugh. She looked at him, her face lacking any emotion. She didn't blame him for saying it, how could she when he knew almost nothing about her past?

"Clover, you ok" Cato asked her, pulling Clove out of her thoughts about her mother.

"Yeah" she swallowed. "I just really have to pee."

* * *

Annie walked gracefully into the mental clinic that Friday to receive odd looks from her fellow patients and friends, but she didn't pay attention to them. She walked to the back of the room and sat down in the chair next to the new boy.

"Hey, Finnick" Annie said and the coppered haired boy looked up from his phone just long enough to take in her appearance.

"Annie, right!" he asked. He had only just started attending the hospital the day before and only remembered the girl because of her eyes. He believed he was seventeen, but was actually twenty four, three years older than Annie. He had been in a car accident when he was seventeen and his mind set never changed. His doctors believed he would be a seventeen year old forever.

"The one and only" Annie said, flipping her long brownish red hair over her shoulder.

Finnick nodded and slid his phone into his pocket. "You look different than you did yesterday" he stated, looking her up and down. She was wearing the revealing skirt and tank top she had found in Clove's closet the day before and lets just say it's exactly what the seventeen year old wanted to see.

"Yeah, my sister and I went shopping yesterday" she lied, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. She had watched Mean Girls 1 and 2 the day before and tons of other high school movies so she would know how to impress the new boy.

"Nice" he smirked.

Annie laughed lightly. "I try" she said and one of the nurses came up to them. "Annie, the doctor will see you now" she said and Annie stood, following the nurse to the doctor's office.

"Talk to you later" she said over her shoulder with a subtle wink. A light blush covered her cheeks since she swore she saw a small bulge in Finnick's pants.

* * *

"Was that so bad?" Clove asked Cato as they walked, hand in hand, from the balcony where the ceremony was held to the bottom floor where food were being served.

"Yes" Cato said, pulling at his light blue tie that perfectly matched Clove's dress. Clove was wearing a light blue strapless sundress. The dress was plain, which she liked, except for the row of sunflowers at the hem. Cato was wearing a button up dress shirt with slacks, his jacket thrown over his arm because of the heat. Gale had made sure their outfits complimented each other.

"Would you rather frolic through the grapes?" She asked and Cato burst out laughing.

"Oh definitely" he said sarcastically and suddenly he was pulled to the side and through the rows of grapes that grew in the vineyard. She didn't stop until they couldn't hear the chatter about how beautiful the ceremony was or the repeating track of the pre recorded violins.

"Happy?" She asked, a grin spreading across her face. It was just the two of them and a bunch of grapes.

"I'm with you, of course I am."

* * *

Cato looked around the large room containing his family looking for his petite date. She had disappeared when he was talking to his Grandma Effie and he needed to tell her something important. He didn't find her until he looked out the window and saw her sitting on the steps, looking over the poorly lit rows of fruit.

He grabbed his suit jacket off a chair and joined her outside in the cool night. "Hey" he said sitting down next to her.

"Hey" Clove said, rubbing her bare arms, trying to warm them.

"You cold?" He asked, a sly grin on his face. She had ignored his advice to bring a jacket saying "it won't get that cold."

"Maybe a little" she admitted. Cato draped his jacket over her shoulders and his arm wrapping around her waist. "Thank you" she whispered, leaning against him and closing her eyes.

Cato looked down at her and was completely overtaken by her beauty. She looked different than how she did during the day, but he couldn't name how. It reminded him of their first date, standing on the Golden Gate Bridge and he just had to kiss her, but now he felt the need to tell her something that he's need feeling for a long time.

"Clove?" He asked and she looked up at him, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Yeah" she said, her grey eyes looking directly into his blue ones.

"I love you" he said, the words feeling natural and sweet on his lips and a happy feeling washing over him.

His happy demeanour dropped however when Clove's smile disappeared from her face. "You do?" She asked. Her voice sounded unsure, after all it was the first time these three words had ever been directed at her.

"More than I've ever loved someone" he responded.

Clove opened her mouth to respond but she didn't know what to say. She didn't know what love was having never felt it before. But, hell, maybe what she felt for Cato was love. He was by far her favourite person in the whole world and the only one who understood her. She hated being without him and whenever he walked into a room she just felt safe. "I-I love you too" she said, her voice was unsure but after the words left her mouth she knew it was true.

"Are you just saying that?" He asked, hearing the uncertainty in her voice.

"She shook her head. "No, no. I mean it" she said. She placed her hands on Cato's cheeks and told him, no doubt or uncertainty in her voice, "I love you, Cato Hadley." Than their lips crashed together.

**A/N: so Clato said I love you. Yeah, big deal especially for Clove. No, there will not be Fannie, not in the traditional sense anyway. I don't think it's going to end well. To those all complaining about me making Annie older, suck it up. Not all story's go the way you want them to and if you have a problem write your own. (Don't you dare copy this story cuz then I'll sue your sorry ass) I might even bring back Annie's five year old mindset, I don't know yet. Hoped you liked the chapter and all that shit. **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

Cato laid on his bed, his stomach aching, his nose running and a trash can full of his vomit on the side of his bed. He was sick. Not the good type of sick where you have a stuffy nose and maybe a headache, he had the kind where anything you eat comes back up ten minutes later.

Cato's eyes flew open in alarm when he heard a pair of keys jiggle in the lock and the door open. Callie ran into his room and jumped on the bed, sitting down behind him, shaking in fear. He believed she was abused because she was scared of everyone but himself and Marvel, and even when he found her in the middle of an intersection she couldn't go near him for a month.

"Who's there?" He asked. Out of all the days someone had to pick today to break into his house.

His worried expression vanished and a smile replaced it when Clove appeared in his doorway. "Sorry, I thought you'd be cool with your girlfriend breaking into your apartment" she said, walking farther into his room.

"I don't, you just scared the crap out of my dog" Cato said, petting the top of Callie's head and trying to calm her down.

"I'm sorry" she said again.

"It's fine, come here" Cato said and Clove sat next to him on the bed. "Callie, this is Clove. She's not going to hurt you" he said and Callie sniffed her hand, licking it.

Clove grinned and started petting her black back. "She likes me" Clove said almost childlike.

"It's hard not to" Cato said, resting his head in Clove's lap and closing his blue eyes while scratching behind Callie's ear. "Why are you here, Clove?"

"You sound unhappy to see me" Clove joked, stroking Cato's short golden hair with the hand that was petting Callie. Cato murmured something along the lines of "I'm not unhappy to see you" and Clove told him, "I'm here to take care of you."

"What about school?" Cato asked.

"I called in sick" she kissed his forehead. "Frank won't notice and I'm not going to miss anything."

Cato opened his eyes, grabbing the hand that was stroking his hair and kissing her hand. "Thank you" he said.

"It's the least I can do, but you ain't getting a kiss" she said and Cato pouted. "I've never been sick and I'm not throwing that record away just for one little kiss."

"Ok you can just tell me you love me instead" Cato said and Clove laughed.

"I'll make you some soup. I got SpongeBob chicken noodle" Clove smiled, lifting Cato's head from her lap and walking out of his room. Cato cleared his throat before Clove left. "I love you" she called over her shoulder.

"Love you too, babe" Cato called after her.

* * *

Marvel walked alone in downtown San Francisco. Ever since Cato and Clove started dating, Thresh was doing secretive things, and Gale was off frolicking through the gay flowers, he seemed to be forgotten. Not a lot of people at school liked him because of his loud personality with his friends and his quiet, shy one in class and at the gym.

He kicked a pebble and was jerked back a bit when he made contact with another human. "I'm sorry" they both stuttered. Marvel looked at the girl's face and recognised her from a tournament a few weeks before.

"You go to Gloss and Cashmere's gym right?" He asked and the red head nodded. "I train at Brutus'. you fought my friend a little over a month ago."

"Sevina?" She asked, spitting out the name like venom.

"That's her" Marvel said with a small smile. "I'm Marvel" he stuck out his hand and the stranger took it.

"Finch, but you can call me Foxface" she said. So this is Thresh's friend. She thought. They had gone on a few dates and though Thresh thought they were serious, she didn't. He would be a nice boyfriend but that wasn't really her style. She liked variety.

"That's a cool name. You wanna get some coffee or something?" He asked, surprising himself with his boldness. He was usually shy when meeting new people and the only reason he had friends is because of Cato, and their mothers were the ones to set up their friendship.

"I'll take up that offer, but I can't right now" she said, checking her watch. Ironically, she was late for her date with Thresh. "Give me your phone and I'll give you my number."

Marvel took out his dinosaur of a phone. It was funny really, Cato and Marvel's mothers were best friends even though Cato's mother was loaded by marrying four different rich men and Marvel's mother not so much because she married a high school teacher out of love. "Just type in your number and I'll add it later" he instructed.

She typed in her number, calling herself as they did in 2008 when one wanted to add a contact. "Here you go" she handed him the old phone. "See you soon, yeah?"

"Yeah" Marvel smiled. "I'll call you tonight." And with that they parted ways, Foxface meeting Thresh for a date and Marvel wandering around downtown alone, only thinking of her.

* * *

"Clove, will you eat? You are much to thin" Brutus' mother said, pinching the girls cheeks. Brutus came from an Italian and Greek family, there fore there was always someone telling you to eat or that you are to skinny 24/7. Brutus was all the old woman had and she lived with him after the death of her husband and cooked dinner for the kids once a week, claiming they were the grandchildren Brutus wouldn't bother to give her.

"I can't have any more, Nonnina. I've already had three helpings of spaghetti" Clove said, placing her dish in the sink.

"You can never eat to much, darling. Men like girls that can eat" Nonnina said.

"Mom, leave her alone. They can't put on too much weight for their tournament tomorrow" Brutus said, walking into the kitchen and disposing his own plate in the sink.

Brutus and Nonnina then started bickering in either Italian or Greek so Clove took that as her leave and left the kitchen, taking her spot next to Cato at the table. "Done!" Marvel announced, throwing his fork down and not bothering to wipe his face clean of the homemade paste sauce. Cato hit the lap button on his iPhone and Thresh finished less than ten seconds later.

"Adding up your three times the winner is..." Cato trailed off, furrowing his eye brows at the use of basic math. "Thresh!"

"Gosh, darn it" Marvel said, sounding like an old cowboy from the unrealistic Wild West movies.

"Woo hoo!" Thresh exclaimed, raising his arms in the air in victory. "Now, I believe I win a kiss from the pretty lady."

Clove made leaned across the table, kissing Thresh's cheek and Marvel handed him the winner's pin. It was an odd tradition they had. Cato had beaten Clove earlier that night and he proudly wore the pin. It was from Cato and Marvel's first matches, not having won anything so Brutus bought them the pins from the dollar store to help their self esteem. Than every night before a tournament Nonnina cooked for them they had an eating contest and the winner kept the pin until the next dinner.

"I've gotta say, this feels great" Thresh said, leaning back, his head behind his head.

"And I've gotta say, no one cares" Marvel said, mocking his tone of voice and his actions.

Cato and Clove laughed, Cato's arm slinging over her shoulder while the two boys bickered. "Boys, stop bickering this instant or you wont get any cake" Nonnina called from the kitchen and the boy silenced, not wanting to miss any of Nonnina's prized chocolate cake.

Cato leaned in close to Cove and whispered in her ear, "I wish I had a mute button for the two of them."

Clove laughed lightly, whispering back, "a role of duct tape will work just as good."

Cato laughed, murmuring "maybe" before kissing her temple and a light blush spreading across her cheeks. After all, Cato was the only one who could make her blush.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

Clove stood in the ring, bouncing on the balls of her feet, warming up and throwing punches at the air. "Sevina" Cato called, leaning against the ropes of the ring, his arms crossed over against his chest and a smug smile on his face.

"What?" Clove asked, her voice muffled by her mouth guard. She was reminded if her first fight with the boys and how she said the same thing to Cato at his fight.

"I just wanted to tell you, you look hot" he said and Clove rolled her eyes. "Also, I think you can kick this chick's ass, again" he said. She was fighting Finch again since it was the final and they both won their devision.

"Thanks" she said, knowing that he didn't come to tell her that but just to talk to her. The reff blew the whistle and Clove turned and walked to the center of the ring.

"Touch gloves" the reff instructed but neither girls moved, both staring each other down. "Ok, go" he blew the whistle and the fight commenced with Clove doing the unexpected. Clove threw a punch at the red head. She was quick and agile with no power behind her punches, she didn't have enough time to move before Clove's fist made contact with her face.

Foxface quickly recovered through and sent a punch at Clove's eye and she took it, earning a black and blue bruise. Foxface sent another punch at her and Clove took the opportunity to swipe out her legs, her signature move. But Finch was expecting it and crawled through Clove's short legs and ended up behind her. She grabbed her shoulder, trying to find a pressure point but Clove spun around, sending a kick into the other girl's stomach and she crumpled to the ground. Clove pounced on her, punching her until she won the fight. "We have our winner!" the referee said holding her non-injured arm high above her head. "Clove Sevina!" The crowd cheered and she walked out of the ring just to fall into Cato's arms.

* * *

They met in secret, Thresh and Foxface. They went to her room and talked while eating Chinese at two in the morning. They were bored and thought, "Hey, why not have a date?" They did and it was fun, ending with a sweet kiss on the lips before Thresh returned to his room.

Less than an hour later, it was Marvel's turn. It was four in the morning and they watched a movie, having nothing better to do. It was similar to the date she had with Thresh and she couldn't help but compare the two boys. This date ended the same way, a sweet kiss and Marvel creeping back into the room he shared with his girlfriend's boyfriend.

* * *

"Can I stay at your place tonight?" Clove asked Cato as they walked back to his apartment building.

"Sure" Cato grinned, pulling her closer into his side. "May I ask why?" He questioned.

"I just want to be with you" Clove said.

"And."

"I just don't want to be home right now."

Cato nodded, opening his door and following her inside. The apartment was empty since Callie was staying at a doggy hotel until the next morning so Cato was glad to have the company. He threw his stuff down and turned towards Clove, "What d'you wanna do?" He asked.

Clove shrugged, leaning against his chest. "Just stand in your arms" she said.

"You're so weird" he said, his arms wrapping around her.

"You're just as weird" she retaliated.

"Marvel's my best friend. No shit I'm weird" he said and Clove looked up at him, her eyes looking into his own, he felt she could read his thoughts. "What?" he asked.

"You just look really kissable right now" she said, a small smile now gracing her lips.

"Hmm, really?" he asked, smirking. "And what are you going to do about that?" Clove's smile grew and she went onto her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. Cato's arms tightened around her waist and lifted her onto the counter, her legs wrapping around his waist. Her hands ran through his hair, pulling it closer (if that was possible) and their tongues battled for dominance.

Clove's hands moved from Cato's hair and removed her jacket. "Bedroom, now" she murmured against his lips and Cato pulled away.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his breathing laboured like her own.

"Positive" she breathed back and reconnected their lips. Cato carried her to the bedroom and they spent the rest of the night lost in each other.

**A/N: there goes Clove's virginity. Sorry all ya'll that feel uncomfortable but I'm not the only writer that suggests lemons and man up. Sorry this took me so long to update. School's been school and it's Friday! I went to the first high school football game with my friends then we went to the park play almost broke a play-structure. Yeah... I'm going to stop before any other illegal things I've done come up. **


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

"Cato, are you awake?" Clove's voice cut through the darkness of the night. She hadn't been able to sleep, even in Cato's embrace. She had been staying at his apartment several times over the past three weeks and the guilt was starting to eat at her that he didn't know anything about her.

"Now I am" Cato said, planting a kiss on the back of her neck. "What's up?" He asked.

Clove turned around in his arms, looking into his clear blue eyes in the dim light of the room. "I'm ready" she whispered.

"Babe, we've already been there a few times" Cato joked, smiling slightly and flicking on the light on his bedside table.

"I mean I'm ready to tell you my story" she replied and Cato's smile disappeared.

"Oh" he said quietly.

"Yeah" Clove whispered back. "I've never told anyone this before..." She trailed off and Cato nodded, giving her the ok to continue. "When Annie was five and I was just born something really... traumatic happened and she went crazy. That's why she used to think she was five. Her mindset never changed and she has these horrible dreams. She's been five for the last sixteen years until last month, now she thinks she's fourteen. I'm not sure what happened there and I'm not sure if I want to know."

"That's why you didn't want me to meet your family?" Cato asked after Clove stopped talking.

"That's one reason" she said. "It's why she went crazy I was scared of you finding out about... I was the product of an affair. Annie and I have the same mom and a year or so after she was born she started cheating on Frank. My real dad's name is Harold Sevina.

"After I was born, Frank found out I wasn't his from the doctor. He didn't blame me of course, not out loud anyway. He told me it was my mom's choice and even though it was bad something good came out of it, but more bad has come out of it than good. He invited my dad to their house because he wanted him to be in my life. His dad wasn't around when he grew up so he thought it would be best for everyone if I knew him.

"He came over and my mom just went crazy. She was cooking in the kitchen I guess and she grabbed a knife and killed my dad. Chopped off his head in one swing than she tried to kill Frank. She tried to do the same thing to him but he dodged it and got slashed in his chest. My mom thought she was dead so she took me and Annie to a hotel in a different state or something.

"They don't know what happened then. Only Annie does. She remembers it and has told me parts of it. I guess she talked to someone on the phone and she was really stressed. She grabbed the knife, the same one that killed my dad and lifted it above us, to kill us probably and that's when the police came in and arrested her. Frank took Annie and moved to North Dakota and I lived with my grandmother, my dad's mom, until she died when I was seven.

"Than Frank took me in. My mom's family didn't want anything to do with me. They said it was my fault that their daughter was dead. Frank and my grandmother always told me it wasn't my fault but it is. If I wasn't born than Annie would be normal and Frank would be happy and my dad would be alive. It's so hard to take care of Annie every damn day when it's my fault she's like that. Everyone would just be so much happier if I was never born. Clove finished, tears running down her pale cheeks. It was the first time Cato had ever seen her cry and it broke his heart.

"I wouldn't" he said, taking her in his arms and holding her to him tightly. "I wouldn't be happy if you were never born, Clove. And it was not your fault. It's not your fault at all."

"It is" she cried into his shirt. "You probably think I'm some freak and hate me. I get it if you don't want to see me again."

Cato sighed, placing a kiss on her temple. "I always want to see you, Clove. I love you."

Clove looked up at him, her grey eyes brimming with tears and rolling down her freckled cheeks. "No one's ever loved me before" she said and Cato kissed her softly and that was all the reassurance she needed.

Upon pulling away he whispered, "I will always love you."

**A/N: so that's Clove's story. I bet no one says that coming. This isn't the last of the drama though. We have more of Cato's background in chapters to come. **


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

Gale knocked once on the door to Peeta's bedroom. His mother had called him because Katniss had broken Peeta's heart. She broke up with him for some other boy. Peeta didn't have many friends, mostly just Katniss so his mother didn't know who else to call to help soothe her son's broken heart.

"Go away!" Peeta's muffled voice came through the door.

"It's Gale, Peeta. Can I come in?" He asked.

"No" Peeta called back but Gale walked in anyway. "I said you couldn't come in."

"Your heartbroken. I don't have to listen to a single word you say" Gale said. "And I brought ice cream."

Gale tossed him a bag and Peeta dug into it, bringing out a carton of ice cream and a spoon and digging in. "Why did you come?" Peeta asked.

"Your mom called. Apparently I am the only one of your friends that she knows." Peeta nodded, digging into his chocolate ice cream. "So, what happened?"

"She's in love with someone else" Peeta whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Peeta" he said, but was secretly jumping for joy inside.

"She left me for you" he whimpered, his bloodshot blue eyes full of anger.

"What?"

"Katniss is in love with you! She broke up with me to be with you! What the fuck did you say to her?"

"I-I-I didn't s-say anything."

"Bullshit! You've probably been flirting with her! Were you two having sex behind my back?"

"No, Peeta."

"Bullshit! She was cheering on me-"

"I don't like Katniss, Peeta! I love you!" The words tumbled out of Gale's mouth before he could stop them.

"What?" Peeta asked but when he looked up Gale was gone.

* * *

Cato felt awkward walking down Clove's slanted driveway to her house. He was finally going to meet Annie and Frank and he was freaking out.

He knocked on the door and Clove opened it. "Hey" she said. She was clearly as nervous as he was and that comforted him.

"Merry Christmas, Clover" he said, flicking the ball on the end of Clove's Santa hat. Clove laughed lightly, and Cato kissed her lips. Clove took his hand, leading him through the house to the kitchen, telling him Frank and Annie were coming from the Hospital and getting food for their Christmas Eve dinner. "It's weird to be in your house" he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

"How so?" She asked, leaning against his chest and resting her head on his shoulder so she could see his face.

"I've never be allowed. I feel like I'm breaking the rules" he said, his eyebrows jumping up and down mischievously.

"Well" Clove said, turning around in his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck. "You would only be breaking the rules if we make out in the kitchen. You know how unsanitary that is" Clove said in mock horror.

Cato shuddered and grinned. "How could you even suggest that?" He asked, leaning in. Clove laughed slightly before Cato's lips crashed into hers.

Their lips barely touched before they heard the front door open. They separated quickly and turned the conversation. "Hey, Frank. Annie" Clove said as her family walked into the kitchen.

"Who are you?" Frank asked, noticing the tall blond behind Clove while throwing the take out for their dinner on the counter.

Clove sighed. "This is Cato. I told you he was coming." Frank nodded and Annie stepped forward. "Annie, this is Cato. Cato, Annie" Clove introduced nervously.

"Pleased to meet you, Annie. Clove's told me a lot about you" Cato smiled and shook her hand.

"I like him, Clove. He's a keeper" Annie told Clove. Cato laughed while Clove blushed furiously.

"Dinner's ready. I'll be back late" Frank said before walking grabbing a plate and walking out of the house. Annie proceeded, taking a plate and filling it with food.

"Where's he going?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her waist when he saw Clove's annoyed expression.

"Work" she said quietly and followed her sisters lead. Clove didn't know but Cato knew how she really felt about Frank never being around. She felt abandoned, like she was alone; to take care of herself and Annie. He knew because he felt the same way.

* * *

"I wrecked your Christmas Eve didn't I?" Clove asked as she placed pillows and blankets on the couch.

"Not at all. I got to spend it with you after all" Cato said.

"But you have to sleep on the couch" Clove said. Frank- even though he wouldn't be home all night- agreed to let Cato spend Christmas with them if he slept on the couch, far away from the girl's rooms.

"So?" Cato asked, grabbing her waist and pulling her into his lap. "I got to eat dinner with you and meet Annie and Frank, but I don't think he likes me too much."

"Dot worry. He doesn't like me too much either" Clove said.

Cato sighed, burying his head in her hair. "You know, Frank said I had to sleep on the couch. He never said you can't sleep on the couch" Cato said into her neck.

"Just sleeping, hmm?" She asked and Cato nodded. "Are you sure your physically capable of doing that? I'm pretty hot."

"I think I can handle it" Cato said, laying down without removing his arms. "I love you, Clover" he whispered before falling asleep.

"I love you too, Cato" she said quietly while flipping off the light.

**A/N: Sorry I took forever to update but I actually have a life! I didn't even see that coming!**

**So I have a question for guests and the people with accounts that don't write. Sorry if this sounds rude or insensitive but I am curious. Why do you guys insult our stories and pressure us to update when you don't write? It just seems unfair to me. Tell me I'm wrong. Hate me. I don't care, that's just my opinion.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

"A whole minute until the year 2014! Isn't this exciting folks?" Caesar Flickerman, talk show host asked the crowd. Cato was only half listening as he was half asleep. His friends were passed out on the floor of his apartment having done shots that night saying this would be their year and such. Cato didn't drink though, he never did.

"Clover, wake up" Cato said, moving his arm so Clove's head moved. She groaned and he repeated, "Wake up."

"Cato, I have a fucking hangover. Shut the fuck up."

"Clove, it's almost midnight" he said as the countdown from 60 began.

"So?" she asked.

"I wanted to do the whole kiss at midnight thing" Cato murmured. If any of the guys were awake he didn't want them over hearing that.

Clove smiled slightly and told him, "I think I can do that."

5, 4, 3, 2, 1

The crowd cheered and Cato pressed his lips to Clove's.

"Happy New Year."

* * *

"What do you want me to do, Clove? He made it perfectly clear that he doesn't like me! I never should have told you" Gale yelled. He fell onto his bed, burying his head in his hands and sobbing.

"Gale" Clove sighed, wrapping her friend in a hug. "You have to give him time. Let him discover his sexuality."

Gale glared at her through his tears. "Don't try and make a joke out of this."

"I'm not, Gale" Clove said. "You just need to give him time and maybe he'll come around or maybe he won't. It doesn't matter. We'll find you another cute gay guy to love in the small chance that Peeta doesn't return your feelings."

"You really think he'll come around?" Gale asked. His grey eyes were full of sadness and despair. It broke Clove's heart.

"I'm almost certain" she said and the small, broken smile Gale gave her almost made her feel better. "He likes you. He just doesn't know it yet."

* * *

Marvel looked at the red-headed girl across the table from him. The lighting from the paper Chinese lanterns made her fiery hair look darker. He fumbled with his chopsticks and then just abounded them, his eyes not leaving the girl all he while.

"Are we in a serious relationship?" He asked and her green eyes looked up at him.

"What do you mean by serious?" She asked, chewing her pork silently.

Marvel shrugged. "I don't know, like I can call you my girlfriend and we don't see other people, stuff like that I guess."

Foxy smiled slightly, wiping her mouth with her napkin just to hide the smile. It was similar to the one she had with Thresh a week earlier. It was humorous how she picked two similar boys when that wasn't her intention at all. "I guess we could be, if you want" she responded.

"Cool" Marvel said and went back to his food. "So we're a thing now?"

"Yeah" she said and they went back to eating in silence.

**A/N: Hey guys. I actually have an excuse for not updating. 1. High School sucks. Homework every night and all that jazz and I hate it. 2. The days I don't have homework my befriends are dragging me downtown or to the mall. All you guys are probably like "thats not an excuse" but I literally have no choice. I'm dragged kicking and screaming. I have a black eye and I almost broke my friends nose. Yeah. I hope you liked this chapter. The next one is dramatical!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Glimmer strutted up to her ex-boyfriend, placing her hand on the blond boy's shoulder. "Hey, baby" she said, her voice flirtatious and seductive.

"Go away, Glimmer" Cato said, shaking her hand off his shoulder.

Glimmer giggled. "You're so silly, Cato. Always a kidder you are."

Cato rolled his eyes, knowing her wouldn't be able to get through to the blond girl. "What do you want?"

"I want to get back together, baby. I miss you."

Cato scoffed. "You haven't talked to me in over a year and you say you miss me? I knew you were dumb, Glimmer, but I didn't think you were this dumb."

"I realized a lot in that year, Cato. I want you back" she said.

"Good for you, but I'm already in a relationship" he said and started to walk away.

Glimmer's arm found her way onto his shoulder again and stopped him. "With who?"

"That's none of your business-" Cato started but Glimmer cut him off.

"With who?"

"Clove Cresta-Sevina" Cato stated and brushed off Glimmer's hand again. "I am helplessly and utterly in love with her and there is nothing you can do to break us up."

And with that he left. A idea forming in Glimmer's head.

* * *

Clove took another swig of beer and snapped her arms around Cato's neck. "You know, we should have sex" Clove slurred over the loud music. They were at someone's party (they didn't know who's it was) and as it was a high school party a good 97% of the partygoers were drunk. Clove, Thresh, Marvel and Gale falling into the 97 percentile.

"You're drunk, Clover" Cato responded, placing his hands on her waist as Clove kissed up his neck.

"I know" she said her lips barely leaving his jaw. "And I haven't even had two beers."

"You are such a lightweight" Cato responded before Clove's lips met his own. "I'm surprised you're still conscious" he said against her lips. Clove giggled drunkenly and pulled away.

"If you're going to make fun of me than you don't get any of this" she said and gestured to herself. She suddenly forgot her rant and her lips found Cato's again. "We should find a room" she whispered against his lips. Cato scooped her up in his arms without breaking the kiss, and carried her to the nearest bedroom. She had removed his shirt before she passed out on top of him and Cato spent the rest of the night with the unconscious brunette.

* * *

Clove woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, the sun shining in her eyes, and sprawled out on Cato's couch. She moaned quietly and walked- more like stumbled to the kitchen where the boys were.

"Does this say migraine or menstruation?" Marvel asked, squinting at a bottle of pills.

"Why would Cato have menstruation pills on his apartment?" Clove asked, sitting at the bar stool and laying her head on the cool counter.

Thresh lifted his head from the sink. "Clove's got a point" he said before throwing up once again into the kitchen sink.

Gale took the bottle from Marvel's hands and squinted at the small writing on the bottle. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "I think we should take a chance" he said. He poured some pills into his hands and some into Marvel's, both taking the little white pills.

"Can't wait 'till you guys get your man periods" Clove joked and Thresh gave a strangled laugh while Gale and Marvel glared.

"That was good, girl" Thresh high fived her before hurling again. He could not handle his liquor, that was for sure.

"Where is Cato?" Marvel asked, now realising the absence of his best friend.

Thresh's head again appeared from the sink. "He went to get breakfast or some shit like that" he said. He had gotten up early to throw up and saw the designated driver from the night before leave to get said breakfast.

"Food is good" Marvel said absentmindedly and sat down next to Clove.

They talked about the party until Cato came walking in with a few to-go boxes from Ihop. "Glad to see you guys alive" he joked handing them each a box.

"Shut up" Clove groaned and he kissed the top of her head. She leaned back against him, absentmindedly eating her chocolate chip pancakes with her fingers.

"My nipples are feeling really sensitive. Are yours Gale?" He asked, messaging his nipples through his shit. Gale did the same and agreed.

"Do I even want to know?" Cato asked and Clove shook her head. "You know, you look hot when you're hung-over."

"I always look hot" she said as if it was completely obvious.

"I know" he said and kissed her temple before walking over to the two hormonal boys.

Thresh sat on the stool next to Clove's and took one of her pancakes. Thresh's phone buzzed and his eyes widened and mouth dropped open when he read the text that as just sent to him. "What?" Clove asked as Thresh's brown eyes flitted towards her quickly. Thresh gulped and Clove grabbed the phone out of his hands, knowing whatever he was about to tell her was a lie. He was a terrible liar after all.

Clove's heart broke in two as she saw the picture that was sent to Thresh. It was a boy, no doubt Cato, kissing a blond girl. Her headache disappeared as she saw the picture and her eyes landed on Cato who acted like nothing happened. "Clove..." Thresh breathed as a single tear slipped down the in breakable girls face.

"Fuck you, Cato!" She yelled, not knowing what else to do. "I can't fucking believe you!"

"What are you-"

"Don't play that card! I trusted you! I told you everything and you go make out with some other girl! Fuck you!" She threw Thresh's phone at Cato and ran out the door.

**A/N: Sorry Clato. Sorry it's been so long guys but I can't really write during the week and my weekends are busy. Also I saw the movie Captain Philips and holly cow it is good! Anyways, review guys. **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: ok, I have something to say and you can go ahead and call me a bitch because I really don't care. I got a review from a guest that said, and I quote "getting bored of this story." Well, you know what guest, if you don't like it than you don't have to read it. You have no right to say that. You don't write, your don't even have an account (trust me, if you did I would be ripping you apart right now instead of telling a good amount of my readers), so you can't go around insulting stories and telling the authors who bust their asses off to publish chapters for you that their stories are boring. I'm basically saying that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all unless it's necessary. Thank you.**

Chapter 18:

Clove lay in her bed, crying. She didn't know what to do really. Her boyfriend, the only person she ever trusted, broke her heart and she didn't know how to react. She knew most girls cried when their boyfriends did shitty moves, but Cato did something so much worse. He betrayed her. She trusted him and he just threw it all away to kiss one stupid girl. She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't tell anyone her past.

She was brought out of her thoughts by her phone ringing. She had ignored all of her other calls and somehow she decided to answer this one. "Hello?" Clove said, her voice sounding sad and broken.

"Oh, Clove" she heard Cato sigh from the other end. She thought his voice sounded as broken as hers, but it could have just been what her heart wanted her to think. "I'm so glad you picked up. I've been trying to reach you."

"Why did you call, Cato?" She asked, sniffling slightly. Hearing his voice making her miss him more than she already did.

"I wanted to tell you I didn't kiss Glimmer" he said.

A new round of tears spilled down her cheeks and she asked, "and how am I supposed to believe you, Cato."

"I would never do that to you-"

"That's what I thought too, Cato, but now I don't know."

"Clove-"

"You don't get it, Cato!" She was yelling now, and she didn't know why. "You weren't just my first love and my first time! You were my first friend, my first crush, my first boyfriend! But mostly, you were the first person I have ever trusted with anything. You are the only person I have ever trusted and you just threw that all away" Clove finished, her voice barely a whisper and she hung up, burying her face into her pillow and letting her tears take over.

* * *

Clove's face was buried in her pillow, her tears finally stopping after Cato's call. It had been a day since he called and almost three since their breakup and she couldn't take it. She missed him. She missed him, Marvel, Thresh and Gale. She didn't want to hear her friends defend Cato and she knew they would. She wanted someone to hold her, tell her what a jerk Cato was. For the first time in her life, Clove wanted her mom.

She heard her window open and a heave object fall onto her floor with a loud thud. She bolted upright, but relaxed when she saw it was just Marvel. She buried herself under her covers. "Go away, Marvel!" she yelled. "I don't want to talk to you!"

"You need to hear me out, Clove. Hear Cato out" Marvel said and when he received no reply he sat down on the edge of Clove's bed. "Cato didn't cheat on you."

Clove threw the covers off her head and sat up once again. "Of coarse you would say that, Marvel. He's your best friend. I thought I meant enough for you to tell me the truth."

"Clove, I love you. I will never lie to you" Marvel said, looking straight into Clove's gray eyes that were overflowing with tears and sadness.

"You were drunk, Marvel. We were all drunk. How do you know what Cato was doing that night?" Clove asked, believing her friend.

"I took that picture," he admitted and Clove's face contorted into one of confusion.

"What?" was all she could manage to say.

The brown hair boy sighed, running his hand through his hair, which reminded both of them of Cato's nervous tick. "Cato and Glimmer dated freshman year until the middle of sophomore year."

"And no one ever told me!" Clove yelled, angry tears running down her wet cheeks.

"She broke his heart. Glimmer cheated on him with some football player and then turned all of our friends against us. Cato wanted to forget her and, to tell the truth, I did to. We met Gale threw Thresh so we just started over. We haven't talked about Glimmer in years, we didn't want to tell you" he said.

Clove threw a punch at Marvel's face and she heard his jaw crunch. "You're a jackass" she said and cuddled farther into her blankets.

Marvel popped his jaw back into place, something he's been able to do since the third time he broke it. "I know. Cato or I should have told you, but when he met you… he was so happy. I never even saw him look at a girl since Glimmer and I couldn't ruin it. Like you said, he's my best friend and I want to see him happy" Marvel said and Clove hugged him, crying once again.

"I get it," she said quietly. "I've been keeping a secret from you too."

Marvel kissed her temple. "I know. Don't tell me until your ready though, Clo. We've all got our secrets, and I am so not ready to share mine."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Gale silently walked through the halls of Panem High, all alone. Cato was at home crying about Clove, Clove was at home crying about Cato, and Marvel had basically dropped off the face of the earth.

"Gale! Wait up!" someone yelled and Gale spun around. Peeta was running towards him. His hair was ruffled and messy, he had bags around his eyes, and his clothes were dirty. He looked like an absolute mess.

Gale waited from the blond eyed boy to catch up with him before awkwardly asking, "What's yup, Peeta?"

"Um, I've been thinking a lot about what you told me a few weeks ago" Peeta said, awkwardly looking down at his light blue converse.

"What about it?" Gale asked, biting the inside of his cheek while his nervousness ate away at him.

"I don't know" Peeta whispered and Gale sighed.

The hallways were empty besides the two boys. "So you stopped me to tell me you don't know how you feel about me?" Gale clarified.

"Yeah" Peeta whispered. Gale looked away upset and angry with himself and Peeta. He felt a warm hand on his cheek and suddenly Peeta's lips were on his. The kiss lasted for less than a second and when Gale opened his eyes Peeta was gone.

* * *

Clove walked up to Cato's apartment door. She was still in her old, filthy, faded pajamas and the sweatshirt Cato had given her before everything happened. She stepped onto the edge of the pot of the potted plant and hoisted herself up, grabbing the key on the top of the doorframe as she had done so many times to sneak into her boyfriends apartment.

She put the key in the lock and opened the door, Callie meeting her immediately. "Go away, Marvel!" she heard Cato say from his room.

She didn't respond but instead walked into the blonde's room and stopping in the doorway. Cato laid on his bed, his eyes closed and his head resting on the pillow he was clutching. His skin was blotchy from crying and overall he looked like crap, but so did she.

"It's not Marvel" Clove said quietly. Cato's blue eyes sprung open, immediately landing on her.

"Clove" he murmured, sitting up and whipping his cheeks. "What are you doing here?"

"Marvel told me what happened between you and Glimmer," she said.

Cato looked down at his blue comforter and rubbed his right eye. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he said after a while.

"I get it" Clove said quietly. Cato scooted over in his bed, lifting up the blankets and Clove slid under them. "I don't get why you didn't tell me. I told you things I haven't even thought about telling people and you couldn't tell me that. We were supposed to be able to trust each other with everything. Why couldn't you tell me?"

"I completely forgot about her when I met you. I know it sounds stupid but when I first met you and we started going out, I completely forgot about Glimmer. I knew you were the only girl for me and I just forgot about every other girl I was ever with" Cato said.

Clove smiled and said, "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

Cato gave her a small smile and shrugged. "Yeah, it's kinda hard not to be sweet with the girl your in love with." Clove gave a breathy laugh and Cato added, 'I know what it feels like to be cheated on Clove. I would never be able to do it to you, or anyone really."

"I know that now" Clove said quietly. She placed her hand on the back of Cato's neck and their lips crashed together in a passionate kiss.

"Does this mean you'll take me back?" Cato asked, his hot breath hitting her face as their foreheads leaned against each others. Clove opened her eyes to be met with Cato's electrifying blue eyes.

"Yes" she breathed and captured his lips once again.


End file.
